Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-09-29

sons. Henry VIII. aud Elizabeth
had uttered proclamations agains,
stage plays as tending to immortality
disorder in the state aud depravity ia
religion. Bacon's mother was a stric,
Puritan, and her sons connection
with the stage as playwriter would
have been great offense to her.
Besides such personal motives for
remaining concealed poet, Bacon
had, no doubt, a stronger motive. In
those days, when neither daily papers
nor periodicals existed, the stage " as
the readiest means of publishing
opinions on any subject. Bacon in
tended by his plays to inculeate ad-
vanced opinions on many subjects
reforms in law, statecraft, manners,
natural philosophy and religion. The
days were dangerous. Men were
liable to be imprisoned, tortured, slain
even, for their opinions and beliefs.
The theoryis, therefore, that Bacon
then adopted the method of the an.
clients (Which he himself exponnds
and commends), and, clothing him.
self in the humble weed of the poor
player, he poured out to ears, many
Of which hearing heard not. the
thoughts and aspirations of his myriad
mind.
But is the character and career of
the man himself an indication that he
was the author?
IT We had no knowledge or record
of him, it would be better for his
reputed title to the authorship; as i,
is, we know just enough of wha,
manner of man he was 10 find grea,
difficulty in recognizing the posslbili-
ty OF his having produced such learn
ed, elegant and varied masterpieces
AS those which hear colorado ini-
tation of his name.
The history OF his life, SO far as it is
known, is very shortly as follows:
Born at Stratford-on- Avon in 1864,
the son of John Shakspere, butcher,
wool stapler or glover; his mother,
Mary Arden, of peasant family;
neither parent OF ali, reputed ability
or learning. supposed 70 have been
for short time at the Stratford gram
mar school; but there is no authentic
evidence of even this short period OF
tuition. There is also tradition tina,
he became country schooimaster,
and legal critics, despite of any tradi-
tion, are sure that he was once EN-
plo, in lawyers office; but nc
hint Of his having become remarkable
in either capacity, and both stories
seem to be rather an inference from
the legal and other large knowledge
and learning apparent in the Plays
than based Oh any real record or ira.
dition.
Marrying at IS, he soon after lief,
Stratford, and in 1887 went to Lon
don. There he is reported to have
made his living for u time by holding
horses at the Globe Theater, then
working his way into situation inside
the theater, and then coming, by de-
grees. to be employed as "super,"
and walking" or utility gentle
man"
Now the commencement Of the
phenomena. A few years after his
arrival in London appeared the poem,
"Veuus and Adonis," dedicated to
the young Earl of Southampton, a
friend of Bacon, whom Shakespeare
could hardly have known, unless from
holding his horse at the door of tie
thea,cr. Disrt garding its subject, it
is one of the most elegant pieces Of
rhetorical poetry that English litera
ture has produced to this day. Such
production from young country
man - country schoo!master, if you
please-who could only have known
the Warwickshire dialect, who had
had little opportunity for refined
study of the English language, and
who had been earning his bread bv
holding horses, and was now engaged |
in minor capacity INSIDE theatcr,
would, l think | am justified in say
ing, have been not only phenome-
non but miracle.
1t Is commended by some that Shak.
spere was connected, either as partner
or assistant, with an able bookseller |
and publisher of the day; that he fire.
quented coffee houses; that in the
booksellers shop, during the intervals
of business, he had access to hooks
which enabled him to study; and that
in the coffee houses, which were also
frequented by some of the wits and
men of the world Of the day, he &C.
quired his extraordinary knowledge Of
men and things.
II this training for genius were SO
efiicacious in his case, why has it no,
since been found to be so? Why is
not now the culture of our young
geniuses effected by giving them the
use of a limited library and the socet,
of club? What need of schools
and universities, studies and lecture
rooms, daylight abstinenc-s aud mid
night oil, if all that innate cleverness
needs for its successful development
is access to certain books, varied bs